“Our Tours Are Different”

WHY ARE OUR TOURS DIFFERENT?

Have you ever walked across the roof of Kilkenny Castle and had tea in the “upper room”?

Have you ever explored the inside workings of a windmill?

Have you ever learned how to make plaster using sheep’s wool and horse hair – then take a turn at applying it to a wall in the Great Hall of a 16th Century castle?

Have you ever explored the secret tunnels the priests used for escape routes in Ireland?

Have you ever been invited to a private tour of Lord Bruce’s home (descendent of Robert the Bruce) and had tea with him in his private dining room?

Those are just a few of the experiences we have integrated into our itineraries in the past.  If you are looking for vacations providing unique, unusual and outside of the box itineraries, then you will find them here.

BUT YOU DON’T LIKE GROUP TOURS?

You don’t like huge bus tours…….
Our maximum group size is 30

You don’t get to see the small places on a big bus tour….
Since our group size is held to 30, our coaches are smaller and can navigate the smaller town roads

You don’t like being raced from one place to another….
I plan itineraries that are leisurely paced, incorporating plenty of time to explore on your own and get in some local shopping.

You don’t like staying at a different hotel every night….
On the average, our itineraries usually include 3 nights per hotel, although occasionally there could be a 2 night stay.  However, for your convenience, many times, the final night will be at an airport hotel.  This allows you time to get up at a decent hour to prepare for departure and not worry about fighting traffic to get to the airport in time.

You don’t like the planned meals…..
Yes, we do often include several dinners during your trip but not every night.  You are also normally on your own for lunch giving you a chance to sample any local flavor that you wish.

You don’t get a chance to stop for pictures……
We always plan for the “Kodak Moments” so be prepared to pull to the side for a beautiful picture

Group tours spend too much time riding in the coach……
One of the beauties of spending 3 nights in one location is the fact that you can take day trips out and about, spending lots of time exploring the outlying areas on foot instead of the typical “drive bys” that many run of the mill tour companies offer.  When moving on to the next city, we try to plan the drive to not last more than 3 – 4 hours.  During that time, there is always a stop for lunch and a look at the town.

Other reasons to take a group tour:

Your travel companion does not have to decipher a map and navigate while you drive.  (This has caused many a “tiff”!)

You will not miss the stories behind the sites that you pass along the way. 
(What was that castle?  I don’t know I’m reading the map……)

You won’t have to worry about what the road signs say or mean as you drive by them  (I wonder if that meant One Way…..)

Have you ever tried entering and exiting a “Round About” in Britain?  Or driving on the left side of the road?  Or driving a right sided car?
(These have caused many an accident resulting in many “tiffs”!)

You won’t have to try to figure out how to drive a foreign car…
(How in the world do I open the gas cap?  I don’t know, I’m trying to turn the lights off!)

You won’t get lost….
(Where are we?  I don’t have a clue.  Well, you’re the navigator….)

You’ll have help translating foreign languages……
(I just went in the Men’s Room.  Why?  The door said Herren I thought it meant Hers)
(OH!  What did you order?  I don’t know, I thought it said chicken….)

DEPENDABLE VALUE, QUALITY AND PRICES

Our tours are rated first class and all-inclusive - meaning that all taxes, tips, (except coach driver and guide) service charges, baggage handling, admissions, and most meals are paid for. There are no hidden costs. Prices quoted are, of course, based on the foreign exchange rates known at the time of publishing, and are subject to change. However, once we have received your deposit, the price is guaranteed and any subsequent cost increases are at our expense. Our tours are perfect for private groups also. If you are a member of a church or organization or just want to organize a group of friends, we will customize a tour for you. For every 25 fare paying travelers, we will allow one free place. Call us for further details.